At the conference on co-existence, held from the 4th to 6th of April in Vienna, Jeremy Sweet, environmental consultant and Vice-President from the GMO panel from the European Food Security Authority (EFSA) known as for any clear regulation from the threshold values for permissible contamination of conventional seeds with GMOs. It is absolutely necessary to possess the same threshold values EU-wide, which ought to be scientifically based. The reduce the threshold values would be laid down the higher would be the expenses for that European seeds producers. With lower values of 0.1 to 0.3 % really extensive separation procedures or even unique zones for that seed manufacturing would be required. This could outcome in higher expenses for that farmers. This once again would weaken internationally the terms from the competition from the EU-agricultural manufacturing.

Further, stated Sweet, the question of necessary security distances in between fields with conventional and with GM-seeds has to become settled. Most from the studies, which happen to be conducted in Spain, Germany, France and Great Britain, came towards the conclusion, that co-existence is quite possible, if suitable security distances will be kept. Thereby the extent from the necessary distance would be dependent on the defined threshold value; also for that establishing from the suitable distance the plant type concerned, the time of bloom as well as various climatic and ecological conditions are playing essential roles. This means, that in determining and applying co-existence measures it is necessary to take into account the nearby conditions. Within the end the pointed out factors altogether are determining about the possible GM-purity from the seeds. Also essential would be measures for that cleaning from the used farm implements as well as measures for that separation of conventional and GM-seeds within the storage and at the transportation, to ensure that it won’t arrive to a later contamination.

In order to achieve an efficient and acceptable co-existence, further sensible regulations for that labeling of GM-products as well as measures for that traceability and for any danger management are required. For that the current techniques for that proof of GMOs in products ought to be internationally standardized and also the various legal systems from the individual EU-countries ought to be harmonized.

Jeremy Sweet provides a clear and concise description from the difficulties and also the problems being up for choice inside the buy non hybrid seeds.

Jeremy Sweet is a sociologist whose primary places of scientific research are bioethics and technology.